Yahweh
Yahweh most commonly referred to by His title God (Elohim) or LORD (Adonai) is the Powerful Elohim Deuteronomy 10:17, Self-Existent One Yahweh: He who is Exodus 3:14-15; 20:2, the Creator of the universe Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:11. He is both a merciful Deuteronomy 4:31 Savior↑ and the righteous Psa 50:6 Judge↑ of mankind, the bearers of His image Genesis 1:27. God is Spiritual John 4:24 in his being, self-sufficient Acts 17:24-25, eternal Psa 90:2, knowing and seeing all things Heb 4:13, gracious, patient, full of goodness and truth Exodus 34:6, and holy Rev. 15:4. Names and Attributes Names of God Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), literally "my master," is used in combination with the tetragrammaton, and sometimes alone, as a personal name for God. The root word, "adon" is used for God in about five places. This name emphasizes God's relationship to all of creation Psalm 2:4, but especially to the relationship with those who worship Him Psalm 35:23. The Jews would replace the name "Yahweh" with "Adonai" when they came across it in scripture so they wouldn't say "Yahweh" irreverently. Elohim (אֱלֹהִ֑ים) is the primary name of God in the Old Testament. This form is plural (3+), but does not imply plurality of gods. After the time of Moses it is used almost interchangeably with the covenant name given to Moses (see below). The root word for this name is El which means "mighty." This name emphasizes the power of God above all others. This name, used to describe one although plural, testifies to the concept of the Trinity. El (אֵ֥ל) is usually accompanied by a modifier. However, the word is used in combination in personal names (Elijah: My God is Yah; Daniel: My judge is God) and place names. It simply means by itself "God", not necessarily the one true God, but any god (however all other gods are just and not God). YHWH (יהוה). Often translated as "LORD" or "Jehovah". These four letters ("tetragrammaton") are faithfully recorded by Moses to reflect the "name" God told him to tell the Israelites↑ . God had said "I am who I am, tell them 'I am' sent you." Later, God once again spoke to Moses and confirms the name to be YHWH Exodus 6:3. And then, in the Ten Commandments, God establishes the name as sacredExodus 20:2. This name proclaims the God Who Is. No more need to be said on the matter, God just IS. In His essential being, then, God is self-existing. Being thus, all of the other attributes flow "naturally" out. Attributes of God By just these names, it can be seen that God is the Creator and sustainer of the universe. As such, it is up to God to run things the way He wants to do them. As Adonai and Elohim, His power can be seen as absolute. As El Shaddai, His personal relationship with mankind is revealed. As El Elyon, his position as ruler over all things is clear. And finally, in revealing his name in covenant with Moses and the Israelites, "Yahweh" is "set in stone" for all time. Trinity The Bible reveals God as One God, but then shows His attributes to be "shared" by . Looking even closer, the reader can see that another "person" is found with those same attributes. This is what has come to be called the "trinity" — a coined word meaning "three in one." Throughout the gospels, and then in the epistles, Jesus is referred to as "the Son of God." This is reflected the other direction when Jesus spoke often of his "Father." Before his crucifixion, Jesus promised to send one like himself — Another Comforter — to carry on the work he had begun. Before his ascension he revealed that this Comforter — the Holy Spirit — would come upon them in ten days []. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God to those who receive Him, and a Comforter who equips them, giving them the tools to live a successful life. Acts 2:38-39 Accounts (recorded) The Creation God spoke together all of creation within a period of six days. God announced items such as light, water, celestial objects, and even life throughout this period of six days. Genesis 1 God had created humanity in his image, thus giving them intelligence, consciousness, and superiority over the rest of God's creations. Genesis 1:26-31 Fall of Man God's nemesis encouraged God's human creations and to disobey God by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Genesis 3:1-6 Aware of their disobedience to God, Adam and Eve hid from God in the bushes and the trees, yet God was aware of their location. God confronted them, punishing them and banishing them from the Garden. Also Adam and Eve were denied physical interaction with God. Genesis 3:8-21 In result of the punishment God required humans to do physical labor for survival, and requested that they give sacrifice of their best to him. and , Adam's first sons both sacrifice to God. God favored Abel's sacrifice since he gave his best flock, whereas Cain only gave his leftover fruits. Genesis 4:5 God noticed the grievance of Cain for not being shown likeness to his sacrifice; God alerted him that he was about to disobey God. Genesis 4:1-6 Cain, seemingly ignoring God, took his brother out into the field and killed him, thus being the first murder. God (even though knowing that Abel had been killed) asked Cain were his brother was at, Cain claiming he didn't know. On this response God banished Cain, putting a mark on him so that no one would kill him. Genesis 4:9-16 The Great Flood Adam and Eve had more children, while Cain did so as well. Genesis 4:17-Genesis 5 Due to this, the population expanded exponentially. After about 1500 years, the different lines had begun to mix and God was forgotten. The original lifespans had been averaging over 900 years, so God determined to shorten those lives significantly to 120 years. This would take awhile, but it had become obvious that more was needed. All of mankind had disobeyed God and evil filled their hearts. This grieved God, so he planned to flood the earth, wiping out every living creature. But the plan had an exception: and his family. God commanded Noah to build an in order to save him and his family and the animals of the Earth. God gave Noah specific architectural dimensions of the Ark, and commanded him to bring two of every kind of animal on the ark, and food for his family and the animals. Genesis 6:9-22 After Noah had boarded the ark, God sent water from the sky and the floor of the oceans. After some time waters began to recede, leaving the passengers in the mountains of Ararat. Genesis 7-8:1-18 Noah then built an altar and sacrificed animals that had been designated on the ark as clean (God assigned these animals for sacrificial purposes). Genesis 8:20 As the smoke rose into the clearing skies, God promised Noah that he would never destroy the earth through use of flood. Genesis 8:21 Dispersion of people across the Earth Though Noah and his family had been told to spread out over all the earth, the growing family stayed together, settling in a region between two great rivers. Not wishing to trust God, they began to trust themselves, possibly using skills remembered from the days before the flood. At any rate, they began to build cities, with in the midst of them with a temple built to reach into the heavens1 Sam 2:10. The effect of this activity prompted God to force a separation of the different family groups by confusing their speech patterns. As new languages became gibberish to others, no work on the great tower could proceed. As a result, mankind finally spread out into the world. Etymology Though the name YHWH (translated "the LORD," Jah, and Jehovah) first appears in Genesis 2, it was introduced to Moses in response to the question, "Who should I say sent me?" God's answer was "I AM who I AM." Exod. 3:14 A form of the verb "to be" became the basis of the word used to self-identify the author of the 10 commandments: "I am the LORD (YHWH), your God." In the Hebrew Bible, the name of God is written as יהוה (YHWH). Since Biblical Hebrew was written with consonants only, there is significant debate on the exact pronunciation of the name. Other names for God (or The LORD) are Adonai (Master) and Elohim (God in singular or plural form, depending on context). In the Greek New Testament, the word Kurios (Master, or Lord) is used to translate YHWH in quoting Old Testament (Hebrew) passages. The general word Theos is used much as Elohim is used in the Hebrew, being translated as simply "God." Verses See also es:Yahvé